Unfortunately driver your opinion of an ABS brake failure is wrong because of tire skid marks on the payment. The system was designed to distribute equal air pressure to all brakes to prevent a jack knife. It does produce a rolling stop effect, your forgetting that brake adjustment for trailer, and tractor tandems work to produce a "shoe string" effect in a hard brake where trailer brakes grab first. I don't want my tractor brakes grabbing harder then my trailer brakes, would you ? Unless that ABS lamp on the trailer comes on the system is working, and will continue to work as intended. Doubles, van trailers, tanker, doesn't matter, what your driving I'm of the opinion, there's nothing a commercial truck driver, should leave their lane of travel for a "steer to avoid" situation. If your in control of your equipment, are paying attention to your surroundings, looking up the road as far as you can see, then your able to make decisions that keeps your truck in control, and not run off the road. The last piece of news I've heard the NTSB hasn't found any evidence to support the information from the couple the tractor was on fire ? Is this the beginning of a "coverup" because with all the crazy extra air pollutions laws for trucks in California, there's some responsibility they have in this ? The pictures I've seen of FedEx that Volvo was cummins power ? To comply with quality air there was a "regen system" that has proven to be more of a problem then what it's intended to do ? Because of time in service and mileage, that system will fail on tractors, and send raw fuel fumes into the exhaust chamber instead of the exhaust fumes, the "glow plug" will ignite the diesel fumes ? The driver of the 4 wheeler got it right when she stated "that FedEx was rolling towards her car with a fire towards the rear of the tractor". But the NTSB hasn't found anything like that yet.....Stay Tuned...!
Do you think the regen system caught fire? Burnt through the floor and passed him out and made him lose control.
Winkjr That's a strong possibility once diesel fuel gets to burning it's not easy to put out. The smoke, and fumes could have over whelmed the driver, to loose control , and he became disorientated.
If someone comes over int your lane and slows down in front of you, it your responsibility to slow down ASAP and find a way out. If you stay in the right lane then you should have some room to brake and steer to the right. Once the truck is skiding, you have begun to lose control. recovery from a jacking trailer is simple, let off the brake and push in the clutch...etc. steer or pull the trailer back under control. But that's all fine and dandy on a dry road with no traffic....
I agree, there are no accidents, just poor driving skills or unsafe behavior. The value of this post is to share information for those new guys and gals who don't have five or ten years out here driving combination CMVs. I have read plenty of your post and you are experienced, you can add your experience to the discussion, which helps others, or you can make statement objecting to all the time and effort that goes into public safety. Are we over regulated by big brother or the companies like the ATA and OOIDA the DOT and those special interest groups you mentioned, Heck Yea! You already earned your place and there are many among you and I who are sharing the road whom drive with little or no experience. Even a master is always learning Amigo!
I think this might be the case, but CARB will never let there government buddy's let that cat out of the bag.
Your welcome, During my years I had a few incident. There is not one single rule that fits every incident that can happen, whether your driving a 4 wheeler or a truck. Driving experience helps, being use to the vehicle that your driving helps to. My driving time I always drove the same truck, & I was comfortable with it. Of course at times I changed from one truck to another one, when I did I would be cautious until I got use to it. And I always adjusted my own brakes, checked all my tire pressure each trip. Generally on a trip to the west coast & back I would adjust my brakes at least two times & I would know how good & or bad they might be & that would determine how I drove. You just have to be alert, & when something happens try your best to make the right decision. Who would stay in their lane if they saw it was going to kill one or even several people? Thats a stupid thought, that is if there were other alternatives. Of course there can be incidents happen where you have no choice but to stay in your lane. The only thing I know about the FedEx truck is what I've read in articles. I would not pin the fault on anyone at this time, nor say the truck driver did anything wrong. Judging something such as that & bad mouthing him as some have done is silly. they should wait & see what the report tells us. There's just so many things that could have happened & not be his fault. I feel sure if they were in such a accident they would not want everyone bad mouthing them, calling them bad names, before they found out the cause. You said in a previous past you were wanting to become a truck driver, hope everything works out good so that will come to pass & its a very good experience for you. I remember when I was very young back in the 50's that's what I wanted to do. It finally worked out about a year & a half after getting out of the air force. I enjoyed my turck driving days, especially cross county. Now I'm just a hasbeen, my trucking days are over, but I've got many fond memories going up & down the highway & by ways.
NTSB can't confirm FedEx truck fire claim The National Transportation Safety Board cant confirm a witnesss claim that the FedEx truck involved in the bus crash in Northern California that killed 10 people was already on fire when it crossed the median on Interstate 5, according to an NTSB media briefing on April 13.
there is no 7 or 8 second following distance, there is a SAFE following distance, depending on circumstances if the above rule was true, there would be dead bodies strewn all over the highway YES, i do see some drivers driving entirely too close, sometimes because of the 4wheeler, sometimes, because the truck driver is a jerk, and you know what? NOTHING happens why? because people do not just jam on brakes for no reason (Yes, i have see the tailgated vehicle do that, its a stupid, suicidal move, to be sure) if you drive 7 seconds, there is a good chance a truck or car will come between you, and then you drop back another 7 seconds, and another vehicle comes between you, soon you are driving in reverse we dont drive in laboratories and around orange training cones, we drive real world scenarios and most of us are pretty safe drivers and sometimes we do have accidents sometimes its our fault, sometimes its the other guys fault, sometimes a combination of many factors, but accidents will happen, and people will die we have a host of dui laws and people still drive drunk and people still get killed by drunk drivers, what are we going to to, outlaw alcohol? you see what happened with that
